Spotlight on: Zygmunt William Birnbaum Papers

Accession Number 5266-001

The Zygmunt William Birnbaum Collection contains materials documenting Dr. Birnbaum's career as a mathematician and his service to the University of Washington and includes: correspondence, diaries, and drafts of unpublished materials. In addition, it contains correspondence with family members documenting his efforts to assist immigration from Nazi Occupied Poland and his involvement with the Loyalty Oath suit filed against the University in 1964. (Full finding aid to this collection)

This Spotlight consists of digitized copies of selected correspondence from the Birnbaum Collection, along with their English language translations. The correspondence is arranged by correspondant, and can be found by clicking on the image map on this page. Selections and translations from the original Polish were all made by Artur Rosman, a native Polish speaker, who performed the intial survey of this Collection.

Jakob Berger

Jakob Berger was Z.W. "Bill" Birnbaum's Viennese cousin. Jakob and wife Rita were intimate friends of Dr. Birnbaum. When the Anschluss (13 March 1938) caused a wave of anti-Semitism the Bergers left Vienna and fled to Lwow. In Lwow Lina and Ignacy Birnbaum, mother and father of Bill, did much to help the Bergers. The Bergers then made a stop in England before permanently settling in New York, all thanks to affidavits secured by the well-connected Professor Birnbaum. From what can be surmised from the collection, Jakob was active in business circles and made his living in the United States from industrial enterprises.

The translated documents found here are almost exclusively concerned with the fate of Z.W. Birnbaum's immediate family (mother Lina, father Ignacy, and sister Franciszka) during the early part of the Second World War, and eventually, the news of their tragic deportation to Auschwitz.

Maurycy Bloch

Maurycy Bloch was a charismatic personality. He came to the United States when he was in his mid-twenties, right before the start of the Second World War. Bloch was at ease in the most refined business, academic and social circles thanks to his upbringing in a wealthy family that owned property in the most exclusive European locations. He was a gifted former student of Dr. Hugo Steinhaus, just like Z.W. Bill Birnbaum.

The translated materials found here cover the period immediately after the outbreak of the Second World War. They show the camaraderie that developed between Bloch and Birnbaum during their combined efforts to save mutual friends, family and the Bloch fortune.

When Z.W. "Bill" Birnbaum left Lwow, Poland to live in the United States he left behind his immediate family. His Father Ignacy, mother Lina, and sister Franciszkausually referred to by her nickname, Nusiacould not make the trip. The family endured the invasion of Lwow, first by the Soviets, then by the Germans. Upon invading Lwow the German army massacred the Jewish population. The Birnbaums survived thanks to the Guatemalan passports Bill Birnbaum secured for them. They were treated as foreign nationals and taken to the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen . The Birnbaums were eventually sent to Auschwitz . All evidence indicates that they died there.

The translated documents found here show the effort Dr. Birnbaum invested in trying to bring his family to the United States both before and during the War. Translated documents found in the Berger portion of this online collection describe what transpired during their internment in the German concentration camps.

Zbigniew Lomnicki

Z.W. Bill Birnbaum met the Lwow-trained mathematician, Zbigniew Lomnicki, while working for the Feniks insurance company. During the Second World War Lomnicki escaped from Poland and spent time fighting in Norway , the Middle East , and Italy . After the war Dr. Lomnicki settled in Scotland where he applied his mathematical skills to work within the aerospace industry.

The translated documents found here are mainly related to Lomnickis experience fighting in the European Theater of Operations under the famed General Anders. They also contain news of what happened (during and after the Second World War) to many outstanding scientists who were dear to both Lomnicki and Birnbaum.

Ala Manelska

Ala Manelska came from Z.W. Bill Birnbaums close circle of friends in Lwow. She was married to Seweryn Ehrlich. The Soviets incarcerated Seweryn during the early stages of their occupation of Lwow. Later, Ala , her mother, and sister were taken to Siberia where they spent six years doing forced labor. Ala and her family eventually made their way back to the newly reconstructed Poland and settled in Breslau . Seweryn also survived the War. The last news of him placed him in Italy . He could not return to Poland . Ala did not remarry.

These translated documents give a personal perspective on the destruction caused by the Second World War. They also give a glimpse of life in Poland under the imposed Communist government.

Ludwik Rubel

Before the War, Z.W. "Bill" Birnbaum's cousin, Ludwik Rubel, was editor of the widely circulated Illustrated Daily Courier (Ilustrowany Kuryer Codzienny). During the Second World War he switched to wartime journalism by fighting and reporting for the Polish forces of General Anders. It appears that he settled in England after the War. It is not clear whether he ever reunited with his wife and daughter.

This portion of the translated documents relates the hiring of Birnbaum by Rubel to report on the Polish community in North America . According to plan, once he arrived in New York Bill Birnbaum secured permanent residency in the United States . In addition, this correspondence touches upon the wartime fates of the Birnbaum family and their relatives. Finally, the letters describe how the Iron Curtain separated Dr. Rubel from his family, and what Professor Birnbaum did to help.

Henryk Schaerf

Dr. Henryk Schaerf is a mathematician, now living in Seattle, whose ties with Z.W. "Bill" Birnbaum go back to his pre-war years in Lwow. It appears that they met while working for Feniks insurance. During the Second World War Schaerf managed to escape to neutral Switzerland from Poland . After the War ended, Birnbaum secured permanent residency and an academic post for Schaerf in the United States . Thanks to those prolonged efforts Dr. Schaerf had a fruitful career as a lecturer in mathematics at several American universities.

The translated documents found here deal with Mr. Schaerf's attempts to escape from Europe during the Second World War. The also relay news about family and friends dear to both Schaerf and Birnbaum.

Others

The translations in the Misc. folder come from several different correspondents. They exclusively deal with issues connected to the Second World War. Footnotes within the documents give details about the correspondents, whenever possible.